To All the Boys I've Loved Before by Jenny Han

Summary from Goodreads:

What if all the crushes you ever had found out how you felt about them… all at once?

Sixteen-year-old Lara Jean Song keeps her love letters in a hatbox her mother gave her. They aren’t love letters that anyone else wrote for her; these are ones she’s written. One for every boy she’s ever loved—five in all. When she writes, she pours out her heart and soul and says all the things she would never say in real life, because her letters are for her eyes only. Until the day her secret letters are mailed, and suddenly, Lara Jean’s love life goes from imaginary to out of control.

Review:

So, I know I’m super late in reading this, but wow, I loved it. I’m glad I’m reading it late because all the other books in the series are out. And I already ordered them on Amazon…I’m expecting that package tomorrow! It will be such a treat to come home to new books after working the Saturday before Christmas. It will get me through the day.

I’m also getting to the book now because I’ve changed up my reading routine significantly. I’m requesting less books for review. I’m reading less books for review. I’ve pretty much given up on eBooks entirely. And I’m just reading what I want to read, when I want to read them, and it seems so simple, but it’s everything. I have so many books on my TBR shelves that I’ve been holding out on for too long. This was one of those books. And I’m in such a better mood about everything.

I also just finished my reading goal of the year! Woohoo. I’ve read 90 books. Funny, how many more books a girl reads when there is less pressure to read them. I have a feeling I’ll surpass my goal by at least a few books… Any way, I’ve heard so many good things  about this book and I knew it would be a great plane read to take home with me to Chicago. I was right. I read more than half of it on the plane. (It’s only a 2 ½ hour ride). And I think I finished it that first night home.

It’s fluffy and fun. Reading it was like eating a giant bag of popcorn. I couldn’t stop even when I knew I should probably go to sleep. I can’t wait to see what happens in the rest of the series. I’m pretty sure though that I would not have been able to read this book as an actual young adult. As a teen, this would have been my worst nightmare: having all my crushes find out what I thought about them. And I tended to stay away from books and movies that involved topics this mortifying.

That being said, it was pure joy to read this now as an adult –knowing how silly and fleeting those crushes were. Also, this happening to Lara Jean made her come out of her shell so much faster than I ever did. I liked that she became braver because of these letters. And I guess in hindsight, it would have been nice to have something pushing me to be braver as a teen also.

What I loved more than anything though, was the family story here. I loved the relationship between the sisters. They were close, but they were also believable. They fought over stupid things (like getting a dog). They had the power to both make everything 100% right for each other and also to 100% upset everything. I love that things actually resolve with Lara Jean’s older sister, Margot. I kept picking up on a lot of problems and I’m glad a lot of that was handled when she returned for the holidays.

I loved the romance of it all. I loved seeing how guys responded to the letters. I feel a little disappointed that one was returned to sender because I wish I could see how all of them reacted.

Some of the book was very familiar. The whole “fake relationship” thing has been done before. Many times. Throughout so many teen movies and books. Yet, I was still pleasantly surprised by the outcome. I knew going in that Lara Jean would end up liking Peter by the end because that’s how it always works. I just wasn’t expecting to like Peter so much by the end too. I really did.

All in all, this was a super cute YA contemporary. I’m so glad I finally read it, and I cannot wait to get started on book 2. I give this one a 9/10.